Baffle ring for kerosene burner



June 12, 1956 c. BRAMMING BAFFLE RING FOR KEROSENE BURNER Filed Feb. 4. 1954 I ATTORNEYS.

RAFFLE RING FOR KEROSENE BURNER Carl Bramrning, Nashville, Tenn., assignor to Aladdin Industries, Incorporated, Nashville, Tenn, :1 corporation of Illinois Application February 4, 1954, Serial No. 408,209

3 Claims. (Cl. 67-38) This invention relates to an improved kerosene burner for a mantle lamp and particularly to a new bathe ring for such a burner.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved kerosene burner having a baflle ring constructed and arranged to provide substantially increased light output while at the same time decreasing fuel consumption.

Another object is to provide an improved burner of the foregoing character arranged to prevent the burner flame from smoking, flaring up or running away.

A further object is to provide an improved burner having a baffle ring constructed and arranged to reduce the temperature of the various burner elements so as to prevent the feeding of an excessive amount of fuel to the burner flame.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational sectional View of an improved, exemplary kerosene mantle lamp burner constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken generally along a line 22 in Fig. 1 to show details of the novel baffle ring and its mounting arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the baflle ring.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, elevational, sectional view of the baffle ring taken generally along a line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

The drawings, considered in greater detail, show a kerosene mantle lamp burner 1 which is disclosed to illustrate but not to limit the invention. In many respects, the burner 1 is conventional in construction. Thus, it includes a burner basket 2 of annular form serving as a main support and housing for the burner. It will be seen that the basket 2 is perforated to admit air to the burner.

Surmounting the burner basket 2 is an annular gallery 3 serving to support a glass chimney 4. At its upper end, the gallery 3 is formed into an upwardly tapering burner cone 5 arranged to support an annular mantle supporting member 6. A mantle 7 is shown mounted on the mantle support 6.

Within the burner basket 2 and gallery 3, the burner 1 is provided with a generally cylindrical wick 8 supported by inner and outer wick tubes 9 and 10. The wick 8 closely surrounds the inner Wick tube 9 and is shown with a tapered upper end portion 11 extending beyond the upper end of the inner wick tube. At its upper end, the outer wick tube has a reduced sleeve portion 12 closely surrounding the wick 8. Below the sleeve portion 12, the outer wick tube 10 flares outwardly in diameter to form a cylindrical lower portion 13 spaced outwardly from the wick 8. it will be seen that the upper end of the sleeve portion 12 is shown in the illustrated burner as terminating slightly below the level of the upper end of the inner wick tube 9. To support the outer wick tube 10, an annular, upwardly tapering, generally conical air baflie 14 is disposed between the burner basket 2 and the outer wick tube 13. It will be seen that the air bafile ted States flat-cut C) ice 14 is perforated to permit the passage of air to the outside of the burner flame.

To control the flow of air to the burner flame, the burner cone 5 is arranged to extend slightly above the upper end of the wick 8 and is formed with a downwardly extending cylindrical flange 15 spaced outwardly from the wick 8. The mantle mounting 6 is formed with an inwardly projecting generally horizontal annular flange 16 spaced above the level of the upper end of the wick 8 and having an inside diameter approximately the same as the outside diameter of the wick. A flame spreader 17 of generally cylindrical inverted cup-shaped form is inserted within the inner wick tube 9 and is arranged to extend above the upper end of the wick 8 and also slightly above the horizontal flange 16 on the mantle mounting. At its upper end the flame spreader 17 is provided with a perforated cylindrical portion 18 surmounted by a tapering perforated portion 19. The flame spreader 17 is closed at its upper end by a downwardly dished wall 29.

In order to carry out the objectives of the invention, the burner 1 is provided with an annular baffle ring 21 supported by the upper sleeve portion 12 of the outer wick tube 10. It will be seen that the illustrated baflie ring 21 is formed with a generally horizontal annular flange 22 having a downwardly sloping inner portion 22a. A cylindrical skirt 23 extends downwardly from the outer portion of the flange 22. The ring 21 is supported on the burner with the flange 22 spaced axially above the upper end of the outer wick tube 10 and radially from the tapered upper portion 11 of the wick 8. The depending cylindrical skirt 23 is spaced outwardly from the sleeve portion 12 of the outer wick tube 10. The flow of air to the flame is controlled and directed by a series of closely spaced apertures 24 formed in the flange 22 adjacent its outer edge.

To support the baffle ring 21, the upper sleeve portion 12 of the outer wick tube 10 is provided with an outwardly extending, generally horizontal, annular mounting flange 25 which, in this instance, is formed on the upper end of a cylindrical collar 26 secured to the outer wick tube 19. Inwardly projecting bosses 27 are formed in the cylindrical skirt 23 to engage the outer edge of the flange 25 which is smaller in diameter than the inside of the skirt 23 so that air may pass upwardly between the skirt and the mounting flange 25. To support the ring 21 with the flange 22 spaced above the mounting flange 25, the ring 21 is formed with a series of ears 28 overlying the bosses 27 and adapted to rest upon the upper face of the flange 25. Locking notches 29 are formed in the upper edges of the bosses 27 to receive the outwardly projecting lobes 39 on the flange 25. Thus, a slight twist of the baflle ring 21 will unlock the ring from the flange 25.

In practice it has been found that the provision of the baffle ring results not only in a surprising increase in the light emitted by the mantle burner, but also in a significant decrease in fuel consumption. For example, in one actual test, the following results were obtained:

In this test, the provision of the baffle ring increased the output of light by 9% while decreasing the fuel consumption by 3%. Accordingly, the efficiency of the burner was increased by more than 12%.

It has also been found that the provision of the baffle ring materially reduces the temperature of the burner parts. For example, in one actual set of comparative tests, the following temperatures were observed (degrees F.):

These very significant reductions in temperatures tend to prevent the feeding of an excessive or uncontrolled amount of fuel to the flame. Accordingly, the baflie ring stabilizes the burner and tends to prevent smoking and uncontrolled flaring up or running away.

It is believed that the baffle ring directs a flow of air at the wick just above the outer wick tube and thus improves the combustion efiiciency, as well as tending to prevent the flame from creeping down the wick toward the outer wick tube. With the flame thus maintained near the top of the wick, it is believed that there is less loss of heat from the flame to the metal burner parts. This is thought to result in a hotter flame and improved efliciency. This is also thought to account for the reduced temperature of the burner parts. Whether or not this theory of operation is entirely correct, the fact remains that the baffle ring results in greater light output, less fuel consumption and a cooler and better operating burner.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in some detail, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the actual construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a burner for a mantle lamp, the combination comprising an inner generally cylindrical wick tube, an outer wick tube concentric therewith and spaced outwardly from said inner wick tube, a generally cylindrical wick positioned between said wick tubes and movable upwardly into a raised position beyond the upper ends thereof, a shielding baffle ring generally of inverted L-shaped cross section and having a generally cylindrical flange portion and an inturned generally radial flange portion connecting with the upper end of said generally cylindrical flange portion, means mounting said ring on the upper end of said outer wick tube to shield the same from the heat of the flame above the wick, said means supporting said baflie ring with said cylindrical flange portion thereof surrounding but spaced outwardly from the upper end of said outer wick tube to define a generally annular opening therebetween for admitting air between the lower end of said cylindrical flange portion and said outer wick tube, said means supporting said bai'rle ring with said generally radial flange portion thereof spaced upwardly from the upper end of said outer wick tube in overlying relation thereto, said generally radial flange portion extending inwardly to a point closely spaced from the outer surface of said wick to define a narrow annular opening therebetween for directing an upward stream of air along the outer surface of said wick so as to cool said baffle ring andmaintain the flame elevated above said wick, said generally radial flange portion of said baffle ring having a plurality of closely spaced apertures formed therein around its outer portion for directing air upwardly toward the outside of the flame and thereby further cooling said baflie ring while promoting combustion efliciency in the flame, said baflie ring constituting a hood over the upper end of said outer wick tube for shielding the same from the heat of the flame and thereby reducing the temperature of said outer wick tube.

2. In a hydrocarbon fuel burner for a mantle lamp, the combination comprising an outer generally cylindrical wick tube, an inner wick tube received therein in concentric inwardly spaced relation thereto, a generally cylindrical wick received between said wick tubes and movable upwardly therebetween into a raised position with the upper end of said wick projecting above the upper ends of said wick tubes, a generally cup-shaped flame spreader partially telescoped in inverted position into said inner wick tube and having a plurality of apertures therethrough above the upper end of said inner wick tube for directing air into the flame above the wick and thereby expanding the flame, a hood ring mounted on and disposed over the upper end of said outer wick tube for shielding the same from the heat of the flame and thereby preventing excessive heating of the fuel in the wick, said hood ring being generally of inverted L-shaped cross section and having a generally cylindrical depending skirt portion and a generally radial flange portion connected with the upper end of said skirt portion and extending inwardly therefrom, means mounting said hood ring on the upper end of said outer wick tube with Said generally cylindrical skirt portion surrounding the upper end of said wick tube but spaced outwardly therefrom to define an opening therebetween for admitting upwardly flowing air between the lower end of said skirt portion and said outer wick tube, said means supporting said hood ring with said generally radial flange portion overlying and spaced upwardly from the upper end of said outer wick tube and with said generally radial flange portion extending inwardly to a point closely spaced from the outer surface of said wick to define an opening therebetween for directing a stream of air upwardly along the outer surface of said wick and thereby maintaining the flame in raised position above said wick, said radial flange portion having a plurality of closely spaced apertures therethrough around its outer portion for directing air upwardly toward the outside of the flame and thereby cooling said hood ring while enhancing the combustion efliciency of the flame.

3. In a hydrocarbon fuel burner for a mantle lamp, the combination comprising inner and outer generally cylindrical concentric radially spaced wick tubes, a generally cylindrical wick received between said wick tubes and movable upwardly into a raised position with the upper end of said wick projecting above said wick tubes, said outer wick tube having an outwardly projecting mounting flange on its upper end, a baffle ring mounted on said mounting flange on the upper end of said outer wick tube for shielding said outer wick tube from the heat of the flame above the wick, said baflie ring being generally of inverted L-shaped cross section and having a generally cylindrical depending flange portion and a generally radial inturned flange portion connected with the upper end of said cylindrical flange portion, mounting means holding said baffle ring on said mounting flange with said cylindrical flange portion disposed around said mounting flange in concentric outwardly spaced relation thereto to define an opening therebetween for admitting air flowing upwardly between said baffle ring and said outer wick tube, said mounting means supporting said batlile ring with said inturned flange portion disposed in overlying upwardly spaced relation to said mounting flange and the upper end of said outer wick tube, said inturned flange portion having its inner edge closely spaced from the outersurface of said wick to define an annular opening therebetween for directing astream of air upwardly along said wick and thereby maintaining the flame in raised position above said wick while cooling said baflie ring and said outer wick tube, said inturned flange portion having a plurality of closely spaced apertures extending through its outer portion to direct air upwardly toward the outside of the flame and thereby cool said baflie ring while improving the combustion efficiency of the flame, said mounting means including a plurality of inwardly projecting elements on said cylindrical flange portion of said baflie ring for engaging the outer edge of said mounting flange,,a plurality of downwardly facing shoulder elements on said bafiile ring spaced inwardly from said cylindrical flange portion for engaging the upper surface of said mounting flange, a plurality of peripheral locking slots extending through said cylindrical flange portion, and a plurality of outwardly projecting lugs formed on said mounting flange for interlocking engagement with said slots to retain said baffie ring on said mounting flange, said inwardly projecting elements and said shoulder elements holding said bafile ring in spaced relation to the outer edge and upper surface of said mounting flange to provide for free flow of air between said baffie ring and said mounting flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

